Local News

Las Vegas Shooters Left Hints of Their Intentions

The Lafayette couple whose Las Vegas rampage killed two police officers and a bystander had left some hints of their intentions -- but those hints are clearest only in retrospect.

Acquaintances of Jerad and Amanda Miller have said the Millers often ranted about "revolution." But a neighbor who got the same routine from them the morning of the shootings told reporters she thought they were just "talking smack."

Indiana State Police spokesman Dave Bursten says the slogan of "if you see something, say something" is still valid. But he acknowledges there's a distinction between an outburst about wanting to kill people, and a specific threat to commit a specific act.

Police say they discovered just such specifics in a search of the Millers' apartment after the shootings. But the couple's comments beforehand appear to have been vaguer.

Bursten says there's no clear-cut rule for citizens to follow. Instead, it's what lawyers call the "reasonable man" test: whether a reasonable person would believe something to be a threat.

Bursten says State Police do keep tabs on hate groups with a history of violence. Las Vegas authorities have said they're investigating whether the Millers had ties to any such groups.